NFL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 5, 2025
Last updated: Jan 4, 2025, 9:06PM | Published: Jan 2, 2025, 7:44AM
Draftstars Australia's NFL Sunday DFS contest begins at 8:30am AEDT on January 5, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NFL contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Sunday and beyond.
Featured NFL Games
Draftstars' NFL Sunday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the latest NFL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NFL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lamar Jackson (BAL, QB) | $18,270 | 23.6 | 1.3 |
| Value | Dorian Thompson-Robinson (CLE, QB) | $8,040 | 12.3 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Jaylen Warren (PIT, FLEX/RB) | $11,480 | 11.1 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Elijah Moore (CLE, FLEX/WR) | $6,000 | 8.9 | 1.5 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options refer to the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
QB (Quarterback)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lamar Jackson (BAL) | $18,270 | 23.6 | 1.3 |
| Value | Dorian Thompson-Robinson (CLE) | $8,040 | 12.3 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Joe Burrow (CIN) | $17,800 | 19.8 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Jake Browning (CIN) | $8,000 | 0.3 | 0 |
WR (Wide Receiver)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) | $18,630 | 21.5 | 1.2 |
| Value | Elijah Moore (CLE) | $6,000 | 8.9 | 1.5 |
| Fade | George Pickens (PIT) | $13,780 | 14.2 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Jerry Jeudy (CLE) | $9,920 | 13.1 | 1.3 |
TE (Tight End)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Pat Freiermuth (PIT) | $8,050 | 9.3 | 1.2 |
| Value | Pat Freiermuth (PIT) | $8,050 | 9.3 | 1.2 |
| Cheapie | Mike Gesicki (CIN) | $7,670 | 8 | 1 |
RB (Running Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Derrick Henry (BAL) | $17,110 | 18.1 | 1.1 |
| Value | Chase Brown (CIN) | $15,030 | 18 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Jaylen Warren (PIT) | $11,480 | 11.1 | 1 |
| Cheapie | D'Onta Foreman (CLE) | $9,750 | 5.2 | 0.5 |
Conclusion
When building your NFL Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Dorian Thompson-Robinson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Lamar Jackson is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Elijah Moore.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jaylen Warren is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NFL Sunday slate closes at 8:30am AEDT on Sunday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NFL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NFL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NFL Sunday slate. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NFL Sunday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
